The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-30
FEMALE OPIUM FIEND.
"Lady Madge's" Romantic History and
Her Life in q Garrett.

policeman, stood on the corner of Eutaw
and Baltimore streets last Sunday night. 1t
lacked but few minutes of midnight. That
busy, bustling thoroughfare, Baltimore
street was practically deserted. Here and
there one would meet with belated citizen
ON his way home, while the restful silence
of the sleeping city was broken at irregular
intervals by the rumbling of some slow
moving hack or cab.
The official guardian of public life and
property is not bad sort of fellow after
you have penetrated the outer crust of
official dignity and self-esteem. and this par
ticular representative of lone of the finest"
as he leisurely surveyed the passers-by
under the pale glare of the electric light,
appeared to be delighted when his lonely
vigil was interrupted by newspaper mans
stereotyped salutation: is there anything
newW
Nothing in particular" replied the Off
Ger as he drew back from his rather con-
spicuous position into the dark shadows of
convenient doorway, There's nothing"
he continued, ''save that the poor devils Of
opium fieuds seem to be on the rampage to-
night / have counted no less than twenty
during the last ten minutes"
''Opium fiends, indeed Mostly rum
soaked buns, are they not~ said the Sul-
day Herald reporter.
WORK FOR TEMPERANCE REFoRMERs.
Nothing of the sort. Why, here on my
beat it's mostly women, and let me tell you
that the majority of them don't even know
the taste of rum. 1t seems strange to me
why these temperance people don't take
brief vacation in their fight against King
Whisky and try to crush out this Internal
opium habit. Even you reporters, who are
always roking about for items, haven't the
faintest idea of what the opium tiends really
are. Whisky and beer Why, man, they
are nothing compared with the foul drug
used by the poor devils who are slaves to
the opium habit"
The policeman had by this time waxed
eloquent over his subject, and when the
Newspaper man asked him to show him
where he could find one of the so-called
fiends he chuckled at what he termed an
absurd question. The reporter and the
policeman had been chatting for some time.
when the former was somewhat startled by
receiving gruff order to Keep quiet"
from the usually pleasant-voiced officer.
Here comes Lady Madge,' now" point
ing to the dark figure of a woman that was
moving swiftly up Baltimore street. I'VE
call her Lady Madge." softly whispered the
officer. "You see the poor thing was once
a swell and associated with the big bugs
and in spite of her present plight all the
varnish of her former position is not rubbed
off"
A f1END.
The woman by this time had arrived at
the corner, halted for a moment beneath
the glaring light of the electric lamp, and
then, to the dismay of the officer, advanced
toward him. The gentleman in blue stepped
from under the doorway.
What is it tonight, and why amt you
homer excl lined the officer in voice that
was kind despite the efforts of the owner to
make it harsh and stern.
Ia ciN. hat on alNaV.
him, snatched my parcel from me down on
Charles street moment ago, and l will die
for the want of it tonight sobbed the
lady" her slight form trembling violently.
She would have fallen had it not been for
the officers strong arms which closed
around her just in the nick of time.
Pete is a cowardly brute, but hadn't you
better try to do without it tonight,
MadgeW replied the minion of the law, who
apparently had forgotten his official dignity
and the chance of the Sergeant making an
unwelcome appearance on the scene.
mo, no; l cannot, and you know I'm
telling you the TRUTH" cried the poor I'M
fortunate, shivering in the chilly night air.
With a feeling of half pity, half curiosity,
the newspaper man volunteered to assist the
''lady" home, and, if positively necessa y,
give her money with which to purchase
more of the drug. Strangely eager as was
Madge to be put in possession of the seduc-
tive drug, it was not until after the officer
had vouched for his good character tina.
the woman consented to accept of the offer.
What must | do for you! Why are you,
a stranger, SO willing to befriend me?" she
said, casting upon the newspaper man
searching glance from a pair of glittering
black eyes.
''Be easy, Madge," interrupted the blue
coated officer. You see he's one of those
newspaper reporters, and all he wants of
VI n n % homo
with you and listen to your story. He is
merely in search of an item"
BARGAIN.
''My story!" exclaimed the doubling
Madge. And what possible interest can
the story of my wretched existence be to
hm?"
81 don't know. but he does want it." was
the officers vague reply, land you see you
will be getting the stuff, and you really must
hurry anyway, because it's high time you
were moving
Finally, after another parley, in which the
newspaper man took solemn oath to pub
lish no names, Madge at last consented to
allow him to escort her home, and on condi-
ton of his furnishing the necessary opium
to give him the history of her life. The
gr1lff, but kind hearted officer. wrapt the
remnants of what had once been a thin
black shawl more closely round the ema-
ciated shoulders of the ''lady, " who accepted
The little attention with the air of duchess,
and after bidding the policeman good
night she started up Eutaw street, accom-
panied by her volunteer escort
Nothing of startling nature occurred to
the ''opium fend" and her companion
during their nocturnal tramp through the
silent and deserted streets of West Balti-
moro. Several times the latter attempted
to engage Madge in conversation, but she
evidently desired to be undisturbed in her
meditations, answering questions in mono
syllables, and so, silently, the reporter
allowed his strange companion to cut out
the pace and take her own course until at
last she halted before the dingy shop of a
druggist who puts up strange smelling
prescriptions and compounds darkly sus-
picious decoctions at all hours of the day.
Hand ng his companion silver quarter,
the newspaper man babe her enter and pur-
chase the drug
THE PRECIOUS DRUG.
Without word she took the coin, entered
abe shop, spoke to the sleepy night clerk,
who retired to the mysterious back room to
be found in all well-appointed apothecary
shops, and presently re-appeared with a
small chunk of a dark brownish mass, which
he deity wrapped up in a bit of pinkish
paper handed the parcel to Madge on pay
ment, and then with a muttered good